


Salem's Slayers

by wolf3223



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-09
Updated: 2015-09-09
Packaged: 2018-04-19 23:14:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4764623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wolf3223/pseuds/wolf3223
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This story is basically Buffy in Salem with the Scoobies. The Master is there and his presence is driving the townspeople crazy. Will Buffy be able to slay him before their neighbors execute their friends? Or will Buffy perish at the hands of the ancient vampire?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Salem's Slayers

"I know you're strong, Buffy, but you have never faced a demon as strong as this one!" Giles pulls off his glasses and rubs them automatically with a neatly folded cloth he pulls out of his pocket. It's a habit of his. I wonder if he even notices that he does that.

 

"You're my stepfather, Giles! I know you worry about me but I can take care of myself!"

 

Giles slips his glasses back on and sighs. "I know you can. You're very capable. But that doesn't change the fact it was foretold that this hell beast will kill you!"

 

"Kill me?" I gulp and beat down the fear rising within me. "Well, if I am to die by its hands anyway, I shall at least go out fighting. I will take it down with me."

 

A redheaded girl bursts through the door, not bothering to knock. "Please, do not go to your death! Salem needs you to fight its evils!"

 

I place a comforting hand on her shoulder and smile at my best friend. "Thank you for your concern, Willow, but his awakening has sent the townspeople into a frenzy. They will burn you and Tara at the stake."

 

"You would never let us burn. They already don't trust us to be pure people because of our love. You know they have not killed us yet only because we are your friends and they respect and fear you."

 

"If I don't fight this 'Master', they won't hesitate in killing you, Tara, and Anya. So please, let me fight it."

 

Willow sighs and is silent for a moment, thinking to herself before nodding at whatever her mind conjured up. "Very well, I will let you go." I breathe a short-lived sigh of relief. Her support of my actions calms my panic from Giles' talk of my inevitable demise. "But I will not allow you to face this demon alone. I will go with you, and I think the others will want to come as well."

 

Tara, Anya, and Xander walk in through the door Willow probably knew they were on their way and didn't bother closing behind her. They nod along to her words with determined expressions.

 

"You have saved our lives more times than I can count. Let us return the favor," Tara smiles shyly, walking over and entwines her hand with Willow's.

 

I hope they don't try to die in my place. My friends are brave and foolish enough to do that. "Fine. We will leave for its cave at first light."

 

***

 

I am glad that Giles had the forethought to give us torches. The cave is dark, damp, and littered with skulls and bones. The fire casts eerie shadows against the wall and illuminates the various rodents and insects that scurry past us, running away from the direction we are headed. The Master's power must terrify them.

 

"Do you think he will have others enthralled?" Willow whispers so that her voice won't echo loudly and alert the Master we are coming, though I am sure he knows.

 

"That's not how it works," Anya does not bother lowering her voice.

 

"How does it work?" I prompt, hoping she won't launch into a speech like she does when she is talking about money.

 

"He is the Master, an ancient and powerful vampire-"

 

"He's a vampire?" Tara moves closer to Willow protectively.

 

"Yes, but the Master doesn't have normal vampire powers that you hear from legends. He is trapped in this cave by a spell he cast years ago that backfired and caused an earthquake. He wants to turn Earth into his own personal hellish domain, and those who follow him do so because he is the closest thing they have to God or a prophet. Those that follow him are also most likely vampires, less powerful, but still dangerous."

 

"How do you know all of this?" Xander asks, impressed.

 

"When I spent time with Reverend Giles, we weren't just working in the Church. We also studied some of his old books."

 

"The townspeople have noticed you haven't been coming to the sermons. Though Giles doesn't mind, they could try to convict you of witchcraft." I speak softly as we near a bend in the tunnel.

 

"I refuse to go to a place that doesn't want me or accept what I was. I don't want to be openly insulted in front of the entire town." Anya huffs as we stop near the turn.

 

"You know Giles wouldn't do that," I say absentmindedly, reaching for the wooden dagger hidden in the waistband of my pants. "Get ready, he's ahead. Let me go in alone first and if you think I need your help, come after me."

 

My friends nod and I hope this isn't the last time I'll see them. They stand diligently and give me reassuring smiles. I straighten up from my crouch and walk into the cavern.

His lair is not as repulsive as I expected, with a throne with the ugliest creature I have ever had the displeasure of seeing. He is bald with a sleek black tunic and pants. His face is covered in wrinkles and his ears end in a point. His eyes are a demonic red and his teeth look sharper than any sword, with long piercing nails.

 

The Master watches as I study him with a grin on his face. A blonde vampire with the same blood red eyes and wrinkled face stands by his side.

 

"Let me kill her, sire." She pleads, her eyes sparkling excitedly at the thought of my death.

"Don't let her get the upper hand. Darla, she's killed our brethren before." He says in an odd hissing voice that sounds as though his voice is blocked by his fangs.

 

"This human has killed some of us before?" She growls and bares her incisors at me. "She will take no more of us. You have my word, sire."

 

I keep quiet; watching as this Darla expertly shifts on the balls on her feet and gets into a fighting stance. I get into a fighting stance as well, letting them see the wooden knife they don't yet know was soaked in Holy Water.

 

"No fair," Darla whines, "she has a weapon."

 

"Darla, you are a vampire. You have more natural weapons than this pitiful human. Don't complain."

 

Darla seems to gather confidence from his words and grins savagely, straightening her shoulders. She means to be intimidating, but the townspeople in Salem are much more terrifying with their insanity.

 

I know my friends are dying to join the fight, but I signal for them to stay back. I can take one bloodsucker. She circles me and I make sure to keep my eyes on her. I have learned the hard way not to underestimate my enemies.

 

Darla lunges forward, trying to catch me off-guard. I have been the Protector of Salem for too many years to be surprised at the abrupt movement. I side step and let her fly past me with unnatural speed and grace, throwing out my hand holding the knife. She crashes behind me and my line of sight, but I can tell from her hiss that I got her.

 

I whirl around to see her sitting on the ground, cradling her arm. A pale red gash lines her arm, but it does not fade instantly like it would if the dagger wasn't soaked in Holy Water blessed by my stepfather himself. Steam rises from the wound and Darla groans, her face twisting further in agony.

 

"Holy Water," she hisses and grimaces. "I will enjoy your death."

 

Darla gets up and her eyes seem redder with her hatred. She is standing and facing me in the perfect position for me to end this quickly. My problem is not with her, so I throw the dagger. It hits its mark and embeds itself in her chest. She looks annoyed as she crumbles to dust.

 

The Master roars angrily and my friends walk in, ready for the real fight. "She was my favorite! I will give none of you a quick death! You will die in agony."

 

He rises from the throne-like chair and Anya, valiantly yet thoughtlessly rushes him as if to tackle him. The Master throws out a hand and she is blown back. Xander runs to her side.

 

"He's powerful," Tara breathes fearfully, "You can see it in his energy. He might be stronger than even you, Will."

 

"Stronger than the two of us?" Willow asks calmly, linking her hand with Tara's. Tara just grins tenderly at her. "I thought not."

 

The Master ignores their exchange, focusing his attention on me. Even I can feel how powerful he is, it's like an invisible at my throat, choking the breath out of me. I try to gasp to get air in my lungs, but I can't. He is actually choking the life out of me without touching me and I am paralyzed. I urge my useless limbs to move, to fight back, but I only succeed in dropping my knife.

 

My friends finally notice, but he has cast some sort of bubble around us, keeping out any much needed assistance. Willow and Tara try to get in anyways, and bounce off opposite sides as they attempt to hit it at two points at once.

 

My legs have given out, and the Master keeps me up with his actual hand around my throat. He leans in and I think he is going to gloat about his obvious victory. To my dismay, he sinks his teeth into my neck. It is more painful than Giles' books say. I sink into unconsciousness as I watch Tara and Willow rejoin hands and push against the barrier. It glows, resisting, and I see the determination as I black out.

 

I awaken to see Xander pull back. "Don't ever do that again," he says, teary eyed.

 

"Do what?" I sit up and notice that the Master is not here.

 

"Die. You were dead, Buffy." Tara and Willow are also nowhere to be seen. "They're outside defending Salem against the Master."

 

"But they'll be seen doing witchcraft! They'll be killed!" I stand up and Xander keeps a hand at my back, ready to help hold me up if I collapse.

 

"They know that. If we hurry, we might be able to help kill the beast before the townspeople see too much."

 

I nod and grab the dagger, sprinting out of the cave I died in. The Master did not make it far, he is standing a few feet outside the mouth of the entrance, fighting Willow and Tara's combined magic. Luckily, no one is around to see them. I throw the knife and it strikes him deeply, sticking out of his back.

 

The Master turns slowly, a steady stream of blood dribbling out of his mouth. He opens his mouth to speak, but his blood is blocking his throat and he can't. His eyes ask how? I killed you. I don't know how to respond. Though I know Xander brought me back, I don't know how. The Master is too old to simply crumble into dust. Most of him does, but his bones stay behind, collapsing into a heap with the dagger.


End file.
